Articles

The ULP regime leadership independence speech gave the impression of a regime that is weak and weary. It was the same old tired words used to prop up a 'mythical image' of things going well in SVG. The thing is though that Vincentian people live in the reality, which is not like the one being portrayed by the ULP regime. The more the ULP regime tries to convince us things are alright, the more we know that this is not the reality. Does the ULP regime think we are fools?

How can things be fine in SVG, when we have rape rates approximately 8 times the worldwide average, 8 year old children bringing guns into schools, devastating VAT, so many people unable to get work and low expectations amongst our people? Clearly, things are not going well.

Yet again the ULP regime churns out the same monotonous package of Christmas road cleaning employment to the poor. This shows that 6 years after being in office the ULP regime still has not been able to give the poor and unemployed long-term secure jobs. The poor deserve better. How can they plan their children's future without secure jobs? Yet again this year the ULP regime does little for the unemployment. Wage increases are no good for the unemployed, because they have no wage to increase. They are driven further into poverty. And while so much poverty exists in SVG, can we really believe that the ULP regime is focused on poverty reduction, when they buy a car that could probably fund school books for the nation's children for some years. Where's the empathy?

The poor state of the economy gives no inspiration to young people. Under the ULP regime trade deficit in SVG has rocketed to 630 million dollars. The serious consequence of this widening trade deficit is a large increase in the cost of living and the increased lawlessness within SVG as people struggle to survive. His Excellency Sir Frederick Ballantyne, Governor-General, clearly voiced everyone's thoughts 'one cannot help but be very concerned by the increasing lawlessness in our society, manifesting itself by the increasing incidence of murder, rape and other acts of violence'.

The PM brags about economic growth, but growth based mainly on imports is dangerous, as all our money is flowing out of the country - for every dollar we gain by exports, we lose 7 dollars on imports. The ULP regime says that we cannot survive without grants - this shows a lack of economic intelligence and a mentality trapped in slavery. Are we not celebrating independence?

Naturally, young people are calling for individual independence, but it will not come with this incompetent ULP regime. A new government is needed for the hopes and aspirations of Vincentians to be realised. As long as we have a government led by a regime that lacks economic intelligence, our economy will be damaged and we will have to fear greater lawlessness in our society. SVG Green Party can provide a brighter future and commits itself to SVG citizens, because they deserve better than this current state of affairs.